


Only the Finest

by Azvee



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Cats, Human Trafficking, Someone Helps Will Graham, Sugar Daddy Hannibal, Suicidal Thoughts, and then spoils him, other tags to be added as needed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-29
Updated: 2015-06-02
Packaged: 2018-03-09 13:05:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3250757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azvee/pseuds/Azvee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being abducted by human traffickers, Will Graham finds himself face to face with the last person he ever thought he'd see again.  (Post season 2)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta read.

Cold, dark, and dry were the first things that Will registered when he awoke. He had been striped of everything but his undershirt and jeans and anything that looked even remotely valuable had been taken from him while he was out. Even the cheap five dollar watch he had was gone. Not that it would have mattered much in the darkness around him. Waving a hand experimentally in front of his face didn’t register to the profiler. But rather than feel distressed about that fact, all Will could feel was the need for some water. Whatever the men that took him injected him with made it feel like he’d been drained of all the water in his body.

Pushing down the initial panic reflex, the profiler got to his feet to measure his surroundings. Will managed a good three steps from any direction before he ran into a wall. He did find a door after blindly groping at the walls for several minutes. Unfortunately, the door lacked a handle on his side and it appeared much too sturdy for him to break down. The room was completely bare and empty of anything besides Will.

Seeing no better option, Will began to bang on his door hoping that whoever had put him there would still be nearby. With any luck he could try to reason with them. “Hey!” He yelled. “Is anybody out there? Can anyone hear me?”

A brief shuffling sound was heard followed by a series of harsh bangs from the opposite side of the door. “Could you yell a little less? You’ll wake the rest of the cargo.”

Cargo. The pieces quickly clicked together in Will’s head. “Human trafficking.”

“Aren’t you just the smartest little thing.” The voice replied in a mocking tone. “That saves me the trouble of explaining your current condition.”

“Do you even know who you just abducted?” Will asked.

A scoff that spoke volumes about how often that question was asked was his only response for a moment before the stranger replied. “Doesn’t matter; we needed a number fifteen and you’ll fit the bill just fine.”

“I work for the FBI, they’re going to come looking for me.”

“Well it’s going to look pretty darn embarrassing when they don’t find you then.” The voice replied before walking away, leaving Will alone in the dark.

 

* * *

 

 

That conversation was the last that Will had for the rest of his confinement. None of the other men that came to feed him a pile of sludge or take him to relieve himself twice a day would give him anything more than instructions or monosyllabic responses. It seemed that as long as Will proved himself to be fit enough to stand, they wanted nothing to do with him. Any attempts to reason with or even learning what day it was were ignored, leaving Will with only his mind for company.

The ghosts of men and women that had long been gone resurfaced to keep him company as he thought of what the future held for him. They’d talk about what they did to the people they had taken captive and spoke of how long it took the police and FBI to track them down. Will would either be dead or wish he were by the time they had even the faintest idea what had happened to him. A few even offered him helpful advice on the quickest way to take his own life when the time came.

He’d only attempted to run once. After playing the meek victim long enough to get a rough idea of the layout of his prison, Will dislocated the shoulder of the man escorting him to the bathroom and made a dash towards the nearest flight of stairs. He made it to the top and shoved open the door only to stop dead in his tracks.

He was on a boat.

There was water as far as the eye could see in every direction and nowhere to run. Will had just enough time to process how trapped he actually was before several members of the ship’s crew threw him to the ground and beat him senseless. He woke up bloodied, sore, and with what must have been a few broken bones back in his cell. No one came to feed him for days after that.

Will didn’t try to leave a second time. There was nowhere to go.

 

* * *

 

It was long after he had given up hope of ever seeing anything other than his box and the path to the restroom that Will was moved. One day his door was thrown open and three of the biggest men on the ship yanked Will out and held him still while a fourth injected him with a mystery drug. Soon the world was covered with a thin layer of fuzz and Will couldn’t find the strength to do more than lean into the men holding him up.

He was quickly blindfolded and thrown into the back of a vehicle that drove long enough for Will to fall asleep along the way. A stinging sensation in his arm woke him hours later and Will found himself laying in a chair while a greasy looking man examined his face. Every now and then he’d tap a portion of skin and various different goos and oils would be rubbed on the spot.

_They want you to look nice for the buyers._ Will’s mind supplied. It was his first coherent thought since he’d been dragged off the ship. Unfortunately he didn’t have time to bask in his returning coherence as he was all but thrown out of the chair and into a stranger’s grip.

Rough, callused hands were suddenly on him now, guiding Will into a blinding light. After living for so long in his dark little hole, Will felt like he was being forced to stare down the sun. The hands kept him from shielding his eyes while a vague blur to the left of him began speaking in a foreign language. It sounded familiar to Will, but the thing was going much too quickly for him to attempt to place it. Separate but similar sounding voices began to speak in front of him and Will was yanked in a harsh circle. The voice to the left spoke again while the hands poked and prodded at his arms and sides. Rustling paper overtook the sound of talking in front of the lights. The voice to his left continued to talk for a while longer before the sound of a gavel was heard and Will was shoved off the stage and he was shoved into an actual broom closet.

The entire scene couldn’t have taken more than two minutes.

He had been sold. Like an animal or piece of meat. God, he was probably about to die. The thought ran through Will’s mind while he sat in his cell waiting for whomever had just purchased him to come retrieve their prize. Human trafficking was beyond illegal, anyone that would come to an auction would have to be member of the darkest parts of society. They’d need to be a person with as little morality as possible to attend this kind of an event. Some sick rich guy had just bought his life and could do whatever he wanted to Will. He was in no shape to fight back now, he’d be the perfect victim.

Any further musing was cut short as the world narrowed to the sound of a pair of footsteps approaching. They stopped in front of Will’s container and the clicking of keys was heard. Will refused to look up as the door opened and his new owner looked down on him. Will didn’t look up even when a voice that he could never misplace spoke to him.

“Hello, Will.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's reunion with Hannibal is odd but not entirely unpleasant.

"Hello, Will."

All Will could do was laugh. Hannibal. Of all the people on the planet it was Hannibal that had just bought him. The man that had gutted him like a fish before fleeing to Europe was standing just a few feet in front of him as if nothing had happened. Will laughed until he started to cry, he couldn’t stop. All the worry and stress seemed to have finally reached a breaking point and those two words were enough to snap it. Even when the laughing turned into sobs and his lungs burned with a lack of oxygen, he couldn’t stop. Hannibal was here and Will couldn’t stop laughing. He kept laughing until he finally passed out.

 

* * *

 

When Will woke up, he felt clean. All the dirt and grime that had been caked onto his skin and worn clothing was finally gone. In place of the shirt and jeans that he had been wearing since his abduction, Will found himself in a soft white shirt and silk pajama pants. They were easily the softest things Will could ever remember having on his body.

The only feeling that could rival their comfort was the material beneath him. For the first time in what felt like years, Will was laying on something other than the floor. Wherever he was now was a marked improvement over his previous living conditions. Will felt himself slowly relaxing for the first time since waking up in that dark room.

With a contented sigh, he rolled onto his side and any hint of calm left immediately as he locked eyes with the room’s other occupant. Hannibal Lecter was sitting an arms length away carefully putting down a book as he watched Will.

“Are you feeling better rested now?” If he were still upset with Will it didn’t show in either his face or his voice.

“Han-” Any response was broken by a fit of coughing from Will. It felt like gravel had been poured down his throat.

As soon as the fit subsided, Hannibal wrapped Will’s hands around a glass of water. “You need to sooth your throat, Will. That scene back in the warehouse must have been quite taxing on your vocal cords.”

It spoke to Will’s tiredness that he didn’t stop to question if there had been anything extra added to the drink before starting to swallow it. Water had never tasted so good to him.

“Thanks,” Will managed to whisper when he had finished. “So what happens now?”

“A very practical question.” Hannibal replied. “Should everything go as I have planned, you will eat a full meal and get sent off to bed. Anything else can wait until you are better rested.”

“That’s it? I expected something a little more,” Will trailed off, unsure of how wise it would be to antagonize a serial killer.

“Cruel?” Hannibal supplied.

“Intensive.” Will corrected.

“You have been through a very trying time, Will, and I wish for nothing more than your recovery to be as quick as possible.”

Will searched the man in front of him for any sign of falsehood, but couldn’t detect a single thing from Hannibal. His face may as well have been carved from stone for all the emotion it gave off. Still, Will didn’t have many options at his disposal and he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance of escaping in his current condition. The only option left was to go along with what his former friend said until the right opportunity came along.

“I suppose it would be rude to ask who we are about to have for dinner.”

A pleased smile appeared on the cannibal’s face at Will’s apparent acceptance of his situation. “One of the workers from the auction actually. No one who dabbles in such affairs should still be breathing. The man will be serving a much better purpose by aiding in regaining your strength.”

“That seems a bit hypocritical coming from a man that just bought someone off the same auction.” Will couldn’t help the biting tone that came out of his voice.

A quick flash of something dark and unpleasant flickered through Hannibal’s eyes before his usual placid gaze returned. “I would never frequent such places if I did not have good cause.”

“I take it your ‘good cause’ was more than just looking for something to restock your freezer with.”

“Of course.”

Hannibal was purposely refusing to tell Will his reason and he knew it. Unfortunately, Will didn’t have anything to bargain for the information with. “Will I get to know what was so important that you had to make an appearance?”

“Perhaps, but not tonight. For now I would rather you eat and rest.  Anything else can wait until you are better prepared to handle it.” Hannibal stood up to leave. “I will come retrieve you when it is time to eat. I thought it best to wait until you woke before going to prepare it, lest it grow cold while I waited for you to wake.”

Will heard the door lock as Hannibal left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have part two of my continuing attempts to avoid real life responsibilities.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will gets to examine his new surroundings and finally gets a decent meal.

Will got up and took in his new surroundings as soon as Hannibal left. His dark little cell had been exchanged for a large and well lit room. While it was not a heavily furnished room, every item within it seemed to radiate wealth.

The first thing that caught his eyes were the windows. Three massive panes of glass dominated the far wall offering Will a view of the land surrounding them. Outside he saw several rolling hills dotted occasionally with rows of what looked to be olive trees. The unobscured view of sky and green earth before him was impressive, but lacked any sign of human life. A quick tap on the glass told him that it was much too thick to break.

There was also a door that led to a walk-in closet furnished with clothing that was probably worth more than his car. All the clothing looked like it was just the right size for Will. He didn’t want to know how Hannibal had gotten such accurate measurements.

The only other feature in his room was a rather large bookcase that appeared to be bolted to the floor. On it were books about everything from fly fishing to classical operas. There was even a complete set of encyclopedias on the bottom shelf.

Looking at the walls closer, Will could see cracks and small holes where a nail would have been placed. They were all gone now though, along with any portrait or mirror that may have hung there. No wall art meant no chance at getting any shards of glass. Anything that could be used as a weapon was missing. That left Will with no weapons, no nearby people, no exits, and no real plan.

A knock on the door shook Will out of his thoughts. “Dinner is ready now.” Hannibal said while entering the room. “It’s a bit lighter than my normal fare, but should still be a marked improvement from whatever you had been forced to eat previously.”

“That’s not setting the bar very high.” Will replied while he was ushered out of his room and down a flight of stairs onto the main floor. There were more decorations here, but nothing quite like what had once dwelled in Hannibal’s house. The dining room he was brought into also lacked the same atmosphere that the previous one had. Wherever they were now was clearly either a place that Hannibal did not own or one that he had just acquired. He hadn’t had time to do any personal decorating yet.

The meal placed before him was indeed simple by Hannibal standards, but looked like a feast to Will. A few slices of tender looking meat that had been drizzled with gravy and sprinkled with cranberries and nuts were set next to an assortment of steamed vegetables. Even knowing where the meat had come from didn’t discourage Will’s appetite. If anything, the thought of one of the men responsible for his current predicament being in pain only added to the appeal of the meal.

“Bon appetit.” Hannibal said while he poured water, not wine, into a glass for Will before taking the seat next to him. He didn’t start on his own food though, he waited for Will to take the first bite of his food first. Only once Will brought a forkful of meat to his mouth did Hannibal begin to eat.

Will had forgotten just how great a chef Hannibal truly was. He hadn’t tasted anything as good as this since Hannibal had gone into hiding. The food was infinitely better than the slop that he had been forced to eat until now and Will tried very hard not to let out a groan as the flavors danced across his tastebuds. He wasn’t sure how successful he was though since Hannibal seemed very pleased with his reaction.

The dinner went on in silence for several minutes before Hannibal spoke up. “You aren’t holding your fork correctly, Will.”

“I know how important manners are to you, Dr. Lecter,” Will replied with a hint of venom in his voice.“But I wasn’t aware that how I held my fork was something that concerned you.”

Hannibal seemed unaffected by Will’s angry tone. “I didn’t mean to offend. But it looks like your fingers are not fully functioning.”

Will looked down at his hand and noticed that his middle and ring fingers didn’t seem to want to close all the way around his utensil. “Oh.”

“Did you damage your fingers recently, Will?”

Thoughts of his escape attempt and subsequent beating ran through Will’s mind. He’d never thought to check for anything other than a broken nose or ribs afterwards. “I didn’t, but your new friends probably did when I tried to run a while back.”

“Those men are not my friends.” Hannibal said stiffly.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.” Will replied in a fairly accurate mimicry of Hannibal’s voice.

Hannibal seemed to ignore this while adopting a more practical tone. “The bones will need to be reset. We can do that after supper if you wish.”

“I’m in no hurry to let you rebreak my bones, Hannibal.” Will replied as he unconsciously drew his hand closer to his chest. “It hurt enough the first time.”

“I would not have you suffer through it unmedicated. I have several sedatives and numbing agents with me, it will be nearly painless.” Hannibal decided to go on despite the doubtful look Will gave him. “I offer you the services of a medical professional, Will.” A pause. “Unless you would rather go through life without the full use of your hand?”

“Just more repayment for what happened in Baltimore.” Will mumbled just loud enough to ensure that his dinner partner heard the complaint.

“What happened back then is in the past, Will. I have moved beyond it.” Hannibal said. “Now finish your food.”

The rest of the meal passed without any more conversation as both men became absorbed in their own thoughts. Will finished his food sooner than he would have hoped and watched as Hannibal disappeared back into his kitchen with the plates. He wasn’t gone for more than a minute before reappearing with a needle and a few shiny pieces of metal sitting on top of medical tape. The needle was already full of whatever drug Hannibal had decided to put into Will. _He probably already knew about the broken bone._ Will’s mind helpfully supplied. _There’s no other way he could have gotten everything arranged so quickly._

Luckily, Will wasn’t given much time to brood on the very real possibility as Hannibal actually knelt before him and set the items on a nearby chair. “If you would be kind enough to extend your arm, I can administer the lidocaine. The effect should be nearly immediate.” Will stuck out his arm and was swiftly punctured with a needle at the wrist. A numbness spread over Will’s hand and into his forearm. Hannibal gave a few experimental prods to the slight bulges on Will’s injured fingers before looking back at their owner. “Any feeling left?”

“None.”

Hannibal felt around the mismended fingers for a few more moments before gripping the middle one with his own hands. “You may wish to look away for a moment.”

Will was barely given enough time to comply with the suggestion before a tiny cracking sound rang out in the otherwise silent room. It took a great deal of self control for Will not to yank his hand away or turn to look at the rebroken finger. A few moments later another snapping sound was heard followed shortly by the sound of medical tape being torn.

“There, the splint is perhaps not as fancy as what you might get in a hospital,” the former surgeon finally proclaimed. “But we can remedy that later.”

Only once the end of the impromptu medical session had been announced did Will turn to look at Hannibal’s handiwork. The two damaged fingers were now each encased in a set of slim pieces of metal and tightly wound in medical tape. It looked like none of Hannibal’s medical training had been forgotten over the years.

The man was currently looking at Will in a way that suggested he was waiting for some kind of opinion on the job. “Well,” Will started. “It certainly looks sturdy. How long do you think I’ll need to keep this on?”

“That you will only need to have on for the next few days. I will get a more reliable splint for a hospital as soon as possible. The replacement should be needed for at least a month, then we can check on your progress and see if the extra support is still needed.”

“This seems like an odd thing to do to a guy that you stabbed and then bought at an illegal auction.” Will said in the hopes that Hannibal might be willing to divulge why he was a dinner guest and not simply dinner at this point.

There was little chance of that happening though as Hannibal ignored the not so hidden question and got back to his feet. “I try not to follow to crowd when given the choice.” He paused to take in the slight disappointment on Will’s face before holding out a hand. “But that is enough excitement for tonight. You need to get more rest if you want to regain your lost strength.”

With no other options before him, Will grabbed Hannibal’s hand with his good one and tried his best to ignore the air of smug satisfaction that action seemed to give Hannibal. Will was shepherded back up to his room by Hannibal and deposited back onto his bed. He counted it as a small mercy that Hannibal didn’t try to tuck him into bed at this point. Instead he was left with wishes for a goodnight’s sleep and left alone in the locked room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to add that I have exactly zero medical knowledge. Lidocaine was the first result to come up on a google search, so I'm using it until someone wiser than me can tell me what doctors actually use in these situation. Until then, it will continue to be my miracle drug.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will gets a shave.

It wasn’t until the following morning that Will realized what important feature was missing from his room. A bathroom. Most places that Will had lived in didn’t include private restrooms, so it’s absence shouldn’t have been a great surprise to the man. Still, Hannibal had more than enough disposible income to find a place that included them. The idea that it might have been a deliberate choice on Hannibal’s part clung to the back of Will’s mind as he walked over to his bedroom door and tried to open it. Still locked. Will knocked on the door and waited for it to be opened. Hannibal was there in seconds.

“Good morning, William.” Hannibal greeted cordially once the door was unlocked and acting as if it were perfectly normal to lock a guest in their room.

“There is no bathroom here.” It was too early in the morning for him to fake manners. Luckily, Hannibal still seemed to be in a forgiving mood.

“Not an in-suite one no. I thought it best to avoid that for the moment.” A hand was at Will’s back and steering him down the hallway. “The nearest bathroom is three doors down from yours. Everything within is at your disposal.”

They stopped at the mentioned door and Hannibal opened it to reveal a room just as fine as the rest of the villa. Within was a bathtub large enough for Will to actually sink down into it and a large mirror overlooking a pristine sink. Everything was fully stocked with fancy looking towels and various other sundries that also looked much too fine for Will to ever purchase. All Will really cared about at the moment though was that the toilet appeared very clean and fully functional.

“I trust that you can find your way down to the dining room when you are finished.” Hannibal said before departing.

It was only when he was washing his hands when he was done that Will got a look at his face for the first time since being taken. Will barely recognized the gaunt face hiding between his extra long hair and rather impressive looking beard. He knew that it had to have grown out a bit while he was in the dark, but he’d never thought it would get this long. How long had he been in that room?

 

* * *

 

Hannibal was sitting in the dining room drinking a cup of coffee when Will appeared. An omelette and fresh fruit were already placed in front of Will’s seat along with a glass of juice. “I would like the chance to trim your hair and facial hair later.”

It looked like both parties were feeling abrupt today. “Not fond of the caveman look?” Will asked with a slight grin as he took a seat and began to eat.

“It doesn’t reflect the true you.” Will couldn’t counter that argument. In truth, he wanted to rid himself of any sort of reminder of what he had gone through and the extra hair just served as physical proof of that event. Still, the idea that he wasn’t able to take care of himself irritated Will.

“I am just as capable of shaving myself now as I was before all this.” Will paused before going on. “Or are you afraid to give me a blade?”

“I would rather avoid that for now.”

“You need to rethink your diagnosis, Dr. Lecter. I’m not suicidal.” Will said as he stabbed his next bite of food with a bit more force than necessary. He had had enough therapists and employers ask him about any suicidal thoughts to last him a lifetime. The last thing he needed was Hannibal thinking about him as a fragile little teacup.

“That wasn’t what I was worried about.” Hannibal replied as he sipped his coffee.

Oh. “You can’t honestly think that I’d try to rush you with a shaving blade. It’d be a terrible weapon choice, and I’m in no condition to put up any kind of real fight.”

“Indulge my paranoia for a moment.”

“I think you could just order it seeing as you bought me.”

“That would be terribly rude.” Hannibal responded. “And you know how I detest rudeness.”

“Let me finish breakfast and then you can tidy me up.” Will said while spearing the last piece of pineapple.

Hannibal left his half finished drink as soon as Will finished and escorted him to another bathroom on the main floor. This one had a chair set up in front of a vanity station already full of the supplies needed for a shave and a haircut.

“More sharp objects, Dr. Lecter?” Of course Hannibal wouldn’t have an electric razor. What else would he have besides a good old fashioned straight razor?

“Are you afraid of giving me a blade?” Hannibal repeated Will’s question from earlier while the man took a seat.

Will just shrugged in the chair. “Most would be.”

“Yes, most.” But Will was never included in that group. Besides, Hannibal wouldn’t go through all this trouble just to slit his throat in the bathroom. Especially right after feeding him.

Even with that knowledge, Will had to tramp down the brief urge to run as Hannibal set the razor on the counter. Will sat as still as possible as shaving cream was brushed on his face and Hannibal grabbed his blade.

The shave went faster than Will had anticipated it would. Hannibal seemed completely engrossed in his work and wouldn’t look away or speak other than to give instructions to tilt his chin on direction or the other. The man worked with the same look that he had while trying to finish a particularly challenging work of art. Eventually, Will forgot all about the cool slide of the razor on his neck in favor of watching Hannibal’s face while he worked.

A few dabs of an aftershave out of a container with an unpronounceable name on it signaled the end of the event. Whatever had just been put on him was, according to Hannibal at least, “certainly better than something with a ship on the bottle” meaning it was no doubt out of Will’s normal price range.

The razor was traded for scissors and the process of taming Will’s unkempt hair began. All of Hannibal’s focus and concentration shifted to the new task. It was just as silent as before, and the same look of intense focus stayed with Hannibal as he went to work. Throughout the entire affair, Will was unable to view himself in the mirror. Hannibal had blocked Will’s view in an attempt to surprise him with the final results and would gently reprimand any attempt at viewing his reflection. He had to trust that the precision Hannibal had with knives would carry over into hair care as well.

“All done. What do you think?” Hannibal asked as he stepped back to admire his work and allowing Will a better view of himself in the mirror. It looked like Hannibal had taken at least a good decade’s worth of age off of Will with the shave and haircut. Will looked softer now, like he had when he’d first started as a police officer. Any other day this might have bothered Will, but for now he was just grateful that one physical reminder of what he had been through was gone.

_I look more like myself._ “I suppose this does smell a bit better than my old aftershave.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel the need to point out that since I have never had to shave a beard, I have no idea how that process works. I'm operating on old movie and cartoon logic for the shave so please correct me if I wrote the wrong thing here.
> 
> It's the start of a new week and I crave new distractions. Feel free to come bother me in the comments or on my tumblr.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will finds out how long he's been gone.

Hannibal and Will fell into a routine in the days that passed. Will would wake up, knock on the door, and Hannibal would always open it a few moments later already fully dressed for the day. They’d eat breakfast and Hannibal would inspect Will’s fingers before clearing away the dishes and leaving Will to his own devices.

For the most part, Will was given free roam of the building. He’d spent the first few days looking for any way to communicate with the rest of the world, but couldn’t find a single phone in the villa. Any technology that could be used had been carefully removed and was presumably being kept under lock and key in Hannibal’s private quarters, the only place Will was not allowed into.

After his unsuccessful searching, Will decided to bide his time and wait. No one was perfect, not even Hannibal Lecter. Sooner or later the man would make a mistake and Will would be ready when it happened. For now though, he played the waiting game.

Besides, living in an Italian villa wasn’t an unpleasant experience. Will never felt that he was in any real danger from Hannibal while in his company despite the overwhelming amount of evidence that he was incorrect in his assumption. He was also being fed a steady supply of gourmet meals that more often than not actually featured fish as the main course rather than people and was steadily regaining the weight he had lost during his captivity. And the bathtub was every bit as luxurious as he had imagined it would be. And even though Will would never admit it out loud, all the clothing Hannibal had given him was absurdly comfy. He could get used to waiting if this was how it needed to be done.

But the one thing that he would not wait for was answers. Will needed to know how long he had been missing before turning up _somewhere_ in Italy. Really just knowing where he was would be an improvement.

* * *

 

“How long have I been gone?” Will asked as they sat in the library listening to a soft piano piece.

Hannibal looked up from the book he had been reading. “Pardon?”

“How long has it been since some stranger decided to take me off the streets and ship me overseas across several continents? I know you must have an idea.”

“Do you recall what the date was that you were initially abducted?”

“April 14th.”

“Today is now October the 3rd. The papers have been speculating about your disappearance for about four months, but it seems their timetable was a bit off.”

“I’ve been missing for over five months?” Jack hadn’t found him in all that time. He’d missed the anniversary of his father’s passing. How had no one found him? “You said the papers were talking about me?”

“Yes. It would appear that your sudden absence raised quite a stir in the tabloids. Tattlecrime was very interested in where you might have wandered off to.”

“Well I hope I helped Freddie sell plenty of ad space on her site.”

“She believed that you had left on your own to track me down, although she couldn’t say if it was for revenge or to finally join me.”

Will tried and failed to suppress a very audible groan after hearing that. “Please tell me that wasn’t what everyone thought.”

“Jack Crawford didn’t believe that idea for a moment. Apparently he has been devoting much of his time to trying to locate you. He did manage to stumble upon parts of the trafficking ring, but that would have been long after you were already gone.”

“And you read about these reports.”

A nod. “I thought it best to pursue the idea and sent out discreet inquiries to a few less than reputable sources that I have come into contact with here.”

“You went to that auction looking for me.”

“Yes. It was a slim hope, but I felt obligated to attend on the off chance that you would be there. It seems that fate was in our favor that night.”

“I’m not sure I’d call what happened to me fate.” Will replied with a biting voice.

“I wouldn’t either. I only meant to state the impossibility of my finding you at such an event when there are hundreds of other places you could have ended up.” Hannibal went on when he saw that Will wasn’t entirely convinced of his good will. “You may not believe it, but I was genuinely worried about what might have happened to you.”

“So if you only came to the auction to save me from being bought by some other rich psychopath, why am I still here? Why not just drop me off by a telephone somewhere and let me call Jack?”

“Because you do not take care of yourself, Will.”

“Excuse me?” Will had imagined dozens of different reasons for his extended stay, but personal care had never been one of them.

Hannibal put down the book and began to explain his reasoning in an almost chastising manner. “I have sources back in the States that I would occasionally use to check in on your recovery. You may have survived that night, but you did not recover from it. And even before that unfortunate evening, you did not properly care for your own well-being. You have made a habit out of abusing your own body, Will, and I wish to see you treated appropriately for once in your life.”

“And just what do you think is appropriate for me?” Will asked with a heavy dose of sarcasm that Hannibal chose to ignore.

“You deserve the best that life has to offer.”

That got a laugh out of Will. “I think you’re sadly misinformed, Dr. Lecter. I was raised on thrift shops and takeout, not custom fittings and fine dining.”

“Your past does not determine your future, Will. As long as you remain here, I plan on treating you to the finest life has to offer. You deserve nothing less than the best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the huge gap with updates, this semester got much busier than I thought it would. But the good news it that I have finished the last of my papers and the semester is finally over! I could use the stuff I've learned to tell you all about the many different ways to read Shakespeare's subtext or explain why the Holocaust happened, but I think I'll finish this story up instead.
> 
> I've actually written the entire story and just need to upload it chapter by chapter. I'm planning on adding to it every day or every other day. We'll see how it goes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal gives Will flowers.

There were flowers in Will’s room when he woke up.

The fact that his room now smelled more floral didn’t bother the man. No, what had Will both upset, concerned, and impressed in equal measure was the manner in which they were displayed. The plants were all sitting on one of the several small tables and desks that had been added to his room overnight. How had Hannibal managed to get a writing desk into his room without him waking up?

“Hannibal?” Will called as he examined the desk closer. It was wider than the door frame was, how the hell did it fit in the room?

“I see you have found the new additions to your room.” Hannibal said in a pleased voice while entering the room. “Do you not like the plants? I can arrange to have different types brought in if you wish.”

“No no, the plants are fine. But there are tables and a desk here now.”

“Well, it wouldn’t do to have the pots just sitting on the floor waiting to be tripped over.”

“Did you drug me last night?” Will had thought that Hannibal’s high standards for dining would keep him from tampering with the food and drink, but it wouldn’t be the first time he had misjudged the man.

“I gave you nothing more than the normal sleeping pill you asked for to help with the pain in your ribs. It was more than enough to ensure a deep sleep so that I wouldn’t need to worry about waking you.”

“And you see no problem with this?” Will asked with a vague gesture to the new additions to the room.

“It would have ruined the surprise if you had woken up.” Came the simple reply as he ignored the glare that Will gave him. “Aren’t you curious about the flowers?” Hannibal asked as if that was the most fascinating part of his surprise and not the numerous pieces of furniture that had appeared overnight. “The tables are only here to support the plants.”

Will let out a heavy sigh before giving in. “Ok, tell me why you put flowers in my room.”

“The coming downpour is expected to be nearly continuous for most of the next several days. I thought the grey sky would end up wearing on you after a time since your room commands such a large view of the outside. The plants are meant to add a touch of color to the dull days to come.”

Will shook his head and saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned towards the source only to find his reflection in a large mirror. A selection of flowers also sat in front of it in an elegant vase that probably cost more than his car was worth. None of those were there when he went to sleep last night.

“What about the mirror?”

“It lends a nice touch to the peonie arrangement. And you’re face is your own again. You won’t see any evidence of your captivity when you look at your reflection.”

“The polite thing to do would be to thank you,” Will began, “but I’m having a hard time doing that knowing that you were sneaking around my room last night.”

“Only because if I had attempted to set these up while you were awake, you would have either refused or insisted that you help move furniture while your body is still recovering.” Hannibal seemed nothing other than sincere in his worries over Will’s recovery, but that didn’t mean that he had to agree with it.

“That doesn’t matter. You don’t get to just come in here without my permission. Most would consider that kind of behavior rude.”

Hannibal held his hands up in a placating gesture as he began to make his way back out of Will’s room. “I apologize. Clearly I misstepped, I’ll go prepare something to eat and leave you to think. If you want to know what the flowers are meant to symbolize come ask and I’ll be more than happy to explain.”

And with those parting words, Hannibal left Will to his flowers and thoughts.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my idle googling may be wrong, but from what I found peonie flowers are a "traditional flower to be given to the beloved one. They are considered a delicate and romantic flower and for this reason they are often chosen for wedding decorations." At least they are in Italy according to the internet. If that's wrong, feel free to correct and I'll search out another one instead!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainy nights and wet critters.

Will didn’t feel like sleeping, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to even if he wanted to. Instead of resting, he sat in bed and watched as his window wall got pelted with sheets of rain and illuminated by flashes of lightning. He hadn’t seen as storm this bad since he was a child down in Louisiana. It felt as if the whole world was about to be washed away in a second biblical flood. Some of the distant olive trees would definitely be gone come morning. Will found the display captivating.

He’d been sitting there for what felt like hours when he saw a small blur move up to the bottom of his window and press against it. A bolt of lightning lit up and night and Will was able to identify the shape of a small cat that looked half drowned trying to escape the storm before it proved fatal.

“Hannibal.” Will called as he climbed out of bed and rapped on his door. A minute later, a slightly disheveled Hannibal opened it.

“It is 3am, William. Most would consider this a time for sleeping.” His voice sounded rougher, Hannibal’s accent stronger from his sudden rousing. A tone of disapproval was also heard. “Is there a reason that you have decided neither of us needs it?”

“There’s a cat outside.”

Hannibal looked at the small shape outside Will’s window before looking back at him with an indifferent expression. “So there is.”

“I need you to help me catch it.”

“What?” A look of displeasure quickly overtook indifference as Hannibal thought about what going out in such weather would mean.

“It’ll die out there.”

“That cat is likely a stray and crawling with numerous different diseases. We are not bringing it inside, William.”

“You can’t just let it die.”

“And why not?”

“Why not?” Will repeated before falling silent for a moment. “Because that would be cruel.”

“Life is often cruel, William.”

“And saving the cat would make me happy. You do want me to be happy while I’m here, right?” A smug grin came over Will’s face as he watched the frown grow on Hannibal’s. He stared Will down for a moment longer before sighing and gesturing at Will to follow him. He led Will down to the main entrance and grabbed an umbrella out of its stand by the door.

“I trust that putting the cat in the garage will suffice for the night?” Hannibal asked before unlocking the door. “Wait here and I will be back with your stray.” He then ordered while opening the umbrella and stepping into the downpour, closing the door behind him. Will stood there counting the seconds that Hannibal was gone. When it the seconds turned to minutes, he gave up and marched into the kitchen.

Will went right past the tiny island set up within and made a beeline for the refrigerator. Since it was one of the areas that he didn’t normally have access to, it took longer than expected to find what he was looking for. Eventually though, he came across the fresh fish that he had asked Hannibal to get a few nights ago.

Having found what he was looking for, Will took several of the pieces of fish and made his way back to the front door and out into the rain. About halfway around the villa’s wall he began to regret not grabbing something to put on his feet or getting a jacket, but it was too late to worry about that.

Turning the corner, he found a very wet and slightly muddied Hannibal scowling at a pair of eyes hiding in the darkness.

“You have never had to handle animals before have you.” It was a statement and not a question. A glare was Will’s only answer. He gave Hannibal a small grin before breaking off a piece of fish and throwing it a few feet from the eyes. “Here, this might take a few minutes.”

The cat made its way up to the food and sniffed at it for a moment before accepting the offering and turning its gaze back to Will. He took that as a cue to move back a few feet and throw another piece of meat at the cat. It came forward after another moment to eat that as well before silently demanding another morsal. They repeated this until Will placed the last piece just inside the garage entrance. This time the cat dashed forward and ate it before looking at the dry area it had found itself in and running off to a corner.

“There, your friend is safe for the night.” Hannibal said as he closed the door and steered Will towards the main entrance.

It was only once the pair got back inside that Will realized just how cold he was. He started to shiver and shake while Hannibal put the umbrella away.

“You should have waited for me to come back with the creature.”

“Please, like you would ever have been able to catch a cat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I will be the first to admit that I don't know how cats work and am assuming that food is a decent way to wrangle one. If not I'll attribute this chapter to Will's nature talents as an animal whisperer.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is reminded of why you aren't supposed to play in the rain.

The days following Will’s first trip outside since arriving were by far the most miserable ones he’d spent at the villa. His late night rescue had given him a terrible cold as a reward for his generosity and softspot for strays. Hannibal had insisted that he remain in bed for as long as possible until his temperature went down and the man always seemed to appear the instant Will got up to do anything other than relieve himself. He took the role of nurse very seriously and would not listen to any of the complaints that Will had about the treatment.

Hannibal had tried to make the bedrest as enjoyable as possible for Will. After the first day, he had delivered a very expensive looking CD player to Will’s bedside and a stack of different albums to choose from. Will had chosen the one that looked like it came from the deepest part of the South to annoy Hannibal, who dutifully ignored his music selection in favor of fretting over his still too high temperature.

* * *

By day three of his cold, Will had accepted that he was confined to his bed until further notice. He was midway through a book on the Italian language when Hannibal entered the room. It was around the time of day where he’d come to collect the dishes from Will’s lunch and check on his fever again. Will would have been content to mostly ignore the man, except for the fact that this time Hannibal had brought with him a large cardboard box.

“I have another surprise for you, Will.” Hannibal said as he set the box on the ground. The top was lifted off and out sprang a dusty red Abyssinian cat who began prowling around the room. “She has all of her shots and vaccinations taken care of as of today.”

“You kept her?”

“I felt that you would be bothered if I had simply released the animal without consulting you first.”

While they were talking, the cat had finished its tour of the room and pounced onto Will’s bed and looking at his hands in the hopes of finding something to eat there. When it found none, it gave Will and accusing look before circling and lying down in his blankets.

“She appears to be disappointed in your lack of food.”

“I think she remembers me.” Will joked. “Do you know if anyone has reported a missing cat?”

“The veterinarian I brought her to didn’t know of anyone, but she has been declawed. A practice I have been informed is currently illegal here. The most likely theory was that someone owned the cat as a kitten and grew tired of her when she matured.”

“Poor girl. Is the vet going to try and find the original owner?”

“She agreed to put up a sign at the entrance and we will be looking through local lost animal sites, but she is not expecting to get a response. Apparently this is a fairly common occurrence.” Hannibal responded with a faint note of distaste in his voice. Apparently even the Ripper looked down on animal abandonment.

“I don’t think we can just let her go if she’d been declawed. That’ll make it hard for her to get food on her own. And a shelter is not an option, they always have too many cats there that don’t find homes.”

“Very well, I believe you have just found your first stray. Do you have any ideas about a name?”

“What do you think of Alessandra?”

“Defender of mankind. A strong name.”

“Figured an Italian name would be appropriate considering where we are now.”

“As good a reason as any.” Hannibal responded while gathering up the empty soup bowl from lunch. “Now please rest up and try not to run out in the rain a second time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nurse Hannibal is best Hannibal. Also don't declaw your cats people.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Will check out the countryside.

The cat hated Hannibal. Alessandra seemed to have made it her mission to either pointedly avoid the man or lock eyes with him while she knocked his belongings off whatever surface she was sitting on. The little terror also seemed to know that all she had to do to avoid punishment for such behavior was run off and climb onto Will. The flicker of frustration on Hannibal’s face when he saw that the feline had once again reached safety only endeared her further to Will.

Will had never considered the possibility of adopting a cat, but he couldn’t say that he was upset with Alessandra’s unexpected appearance in his life. Despite her terrible behavior towards Hannibal, the cat was an angel around the profiler. She loved to follow him around the villa and would happily settle in on or next to him wherever he sat. Alessandra was no Winston, but she was good company. She made him feel less trapped.

“Would you like to go for a walk, Will?” Hannibal asked about a week into the cat’s stay with the pair. “The fresh air might help aid in your recovery.”

“You’ve never offered that before. Think stockholm syndrome has finally set in?” Will asked while scratching the cat’s back.

“I doubt you’d be one to succumb to such a tactic so quickly. No, it is a nice day out though and I thought you would appreciate the view. The cat would need to stay behind of course.”

“Ah, there’s the real reason.”

“Would you like to go out of a walk or not?” Hannibal asked in what was certainly not a huff.

“I suppose I can part from Alessandra’s company for a few moments,” Will said with the beginnings of a smile.

* * *

The view outside was breathtaking. The earlier rain had added a fresh layer of green to the rolling hills that seemed to stretch out all around the pair while they walked along the only road to be seen. In the distance a few other houses dotted the hills although Will could see no sign of activity around them.

“The nearest villa is about three hours away on foot,” Hannibal said while pointing to one of the far off building. “Two if you’re feeling particularly ambitious. A small town is at the end of this road, but it would take you even longer to get there.”

“I never asked.”

“I know that’s what you were thinking. Just thought it was best to tell you rather than leave you to make estimations in your head.”

“So all I’d need to do would be find a way to keep you busy for three hours and I could bring the FBI and anyone else I could get in touch with here.”

“True. But you would only have one chance to do so. Whatever plan you might come up with would need to be well thought out. It would be a considerable strain on our current living arrangements if you didn’t succeed the first time.”

“So was this walk just an excuse to threaten me?” Will asked. “Doesn’t seem like something you’d do.”

“Of course not, it was just something that needed to be said. Now come, the day is lovely and I would like the chance to enjoy it in good company.”

“And there’s no cat hair outside.”

“That is one bonus of the open air.”

“You know;" Will said in a playful tone, "I could probably write a paper about the many different reasons someone like the Chesapeake Ripper feels threatened by a cat.”

“I am not threatened by your cat,” Hannibal tersely replied.

“That kind of attitude is what is going to make you lose the position of preferred companion.”

“Am I the preferred companion or has Alessandra already taken that?”

“Well seeing as you’re the one that is currently feeding both of us, you can hold onto that title for now.”

“I’m relieved.”

“Uh huh. As soon as she starts bringing me rats and birds, we’ll have to get rid of you though.” Will said before turning to look at the amused smile on Hannibal’s face. “Who says I’m joking?”

Hannibal shook his head before starting forward on the path again. “Just enjoy the walk. We can sort favorites during dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alessandra knows who's really in charge around her new house.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will finally asks a question he has been pondering since Hannibal ran.

“Why didn’t you tell me Abigail was alive?” Will asked one day as Hannibal entered the study. It was something that he had been wondering about since the man had left months ago. He’d tried to wait for the right time to ask it, or perhaps let the man bring it up himself, but as the weeks had gone by it became clear that Hannibal wasn’t going to talk about their past unless prompted. So Will settled for a blunt ambush in lieu of tactful one.

To his credit, Hannibal didn’t stop or even pause when presented with the question. He’d probably been waiting to hear it about as long as Will had waited. “You have been wanting to ask that for some time.”

“I would have gone with you if I knew,” Will stated and accused simultaneously.

“Would you?”

“Yes,” Will answered without hesitation.

“Abigail was never meant to be the reason you came to my side.”

“She was the reward for making the correct choice.” It made sense. “Figures that your ego wouldn’t allow for anyone but you to be the reason.”

“While I wouldn’t attribute it to an ego, you are correct. I had hoped that I would be enough for you.”

“You didn’t have to kill her.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“She could have gone with you when you left,” Will as he tried and almost succeeded in keeping his voice steady. “All you would have needed to do was ask her to.”

“Abigail would no doubt have been very eager to leave with me, but she was not the one I wanted to make that offer to. I wanted an equal and young Miss Hobbs would never have been one.”

“She could have been a companion, just not the right one.”

“Indeed,” Hannibal confirmed. “I asked you that night if you could forgive me, can you give me an answer now?”

“I don’t know if I can forgive you for what you did,” Will said after a long silence. “But the anger I felt over it is gone.”

“That is a very impressive feat to accomplish.”

“If I tried to keep it going, that anger would be all I had left. It wouldn’t be sustainable,” he replied with a slight smile at the end. Hannibal responded with a small one of his own at the shared memory.

“That appears to be a problem with us.”

“So what is this then?” Will asked with a vague gesture to the area around them. “Is this meant to be sustainable?”

There was a pause as Hannibal gathered up the papers he had meant to examine. “I would like it to be,” he left the room just as quickly as he came, leaving Will to stare at the space he had occupied just a moment ago.

“I think I might like that as well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much in the way of fluff here, but it was something that I think needed to be addressed. Next chapter will have more poorly thought out gifts.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal gets a few more unneeded additions to the villa.

The longer Will stayed with Hannibal, the more items began appearing in the villa. They came in all shapes and sizes but the probable price tag always seemed to be much larger than Will thought was financially advisable. Sculptures and paintings took up the empty spaces of the building and Will found himself spending more of his time wandering the halls to see what new item had quietly been added while he wasn’t looking. Today it was a dramatically lit piece showing a boat struggling to stay afloat in a storm that now hung in his room. The painting seemed oddly familiar to Will.

Hannibal appeared, silent as always, while Will was thinking about where he had seen the work before. “Do you enjoy the new addition to your room?” He asked.

“You know,” Will began as he looked at the painting. “I remember going to a guest lecture back at the academy a few years ago where a guy talked about missing works of art.”

“It sounds like a very interesting topic.”

“It was. He also had photos of a few of the missing pieces. One of the images looked a lot like this painting. I would even go so far as to say that they’re identical.” Hannibal’s face didn’t give anything away at Will’s not so subtle accusation. “What is it called?”

“‘The Storm of Galilee.’”

“Why do you have ‘The Storm of Galilee’ hanging in my room?”

“The lighting in the piece is superb.”

“This painting has been missing for years.”

“Then you should be happy to find it in such great condition.”

“Hannibal,” Will chided.

“I assure you it is being better taken care of now than it was when I found it amongst the other stolen pieces being sold.”

“Is anything else here stolen art?”

“Anything that might be stolen will eventually be returned to the rightful parties,” Hannibal assured him. “I’d simply like to enjoy them privately first.”

“You can’t just keep stolen artwork.”

“I’m not planning on keeping it. I just see no reason to return it immediately.”

“Promise me you’re serious about giving this all back.”

Hannibal raised his hand to make a cross over his heart. “I solemnly promise to return any and all stolen works here when the next opportunity presents itself. I’ll look for any Italian lectures being given about missing artwork and say that it inspired me to give my collection a closer look. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes it is, thank you.” Will said and was surprised to find that he meant it. He was even more surprised to find that he felt the need to let Hannibal know that the gift wasn’t unappreciated. “It really is a nice painting.”

“Yes it is.”

* * *

Will was on his way to the kitchen when he nearly tripped over the next item that arrived. An ornately decorated piece of metalwork had been placed on the floor of the dining room. Elegantly curved leaves and beaded metal were holding a pair of bowls slightly off the ground. At the center of the design was a circle with a single large _A_ within it.

With a heavy sigh, Will finished his walk and opened the door that led to the kitchen. Hannibal was busy preparing their next meal within and appeared too engrossed in his work to acknowledge the man standing in the threshold.

“Did you get Alessandra a new food dish?” Will asked.

Hannibal paused in chopping a piece of meat before joining Will in the dining room. “I may have, it seemed a better solution than sacrificing my china bowls for cat kibble.”

“You could have gotten a pair for maybe ten dollars.”

“If we are going to be hosting a cat, she will not be forced to live in squalor when her items are compared to our own.”

“What the hell is this thing even made out of?”

“The bowls are ceramic, the feeding station is cast iron.”

“Why does Alessandra need a feeding station? And why does it have her initial carved onto the top of this thing?”

“The initial works as a central focal point for anyone that may look at it and I believe this will blend in much better with the rest of the dining room,” Hannibal explained. “The station gives a much better presentation than simply placing a few dishes on the ground and waiting for the inevitable mess to spread to the surrounding floor.”

“It doesn’t take that long to clean up some spilled water or kibble. And Alessandra is a very neat eater.”

“This is a peace offering, William.”

“A peace offering.” Will repeated. “For me or the cat?”

“Whichever one wishes to accept it.”

“This is unnecessary spending.”

“Think what you will,” Hannibal replied. “But I believe time will allow this gift to be seen as the kind gesture that it was meant to be.” He paused for a moment before saying, “you may place her bed wherever you deem fit.”

“Her bed?” Will asked. Hannibal gestured to the other end of the dining room where what looked like a tiny white fainting couch was tucked away into the corner. “Please tell me you did not buy the cat a therapist couch.”

“I can assure you that this is much comfier than anything you will find in a therapist’s office.”

“Are you going to ask her to talk about her feelings next?”

“William,” Hannibal warned. The profiler held his hands up in a show of mock surrender prompting a resigned sigh from the other man. “If you won’t see it as a gesture of goodwill, consider it an attempt to contain the spread of cat hair.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you have too much money?” Will asked.

“You would be the first.”

* * *

The cat bed ended up in Will’s room since Alessandra had previously determined that Will did not make a good sleeping companion. Although her attitude towards Hannibal didn’t change in the slightest, she did make good use of his gifts and Will eventually had to concede that the little therapy couch was actually a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have found images for your viewing pleasure.  
> The (still missing) painting: http://cdn.timesofisrael.com/uploads/2013/10/Storm-on-the-Sea.jpg  
> The feeding station: http://www.frontgate.com/personalized-decorative-baroque-pet-feeder/438921  
> The cat bed: http://www.scenariohome.com/products/chaise-lounge-style-pet-bed-off-white  
> Rich people buy really stupid things.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Will get an unexpected visitor.

It had been several weeks since Bedelia had last heard from Hannibal. He had taken a private phone call late one night and started packing his bags as soon as he hung up. No explanation was given, just that there was some ‘private business’ that he needed to take care of and that he would need to leave for a brief period. Hannibal loaded his things into the car and left her with the address to an isolated building in the event that she needed to contact him.

It had been weeks since then and she was becoming increasingly curious about what had happened to the man. With no contact from him, Bedelia began to wonder if he had finally become a victim of his own strange extra-curricular activities. It was the thought of Hannibal’s possible death that finally motivated her to rent another car and make the long drive out to the address given to her. She wasn’t sure what she hoped to find once there.

* * *

Knocking on the door produced no result so, after several moments of waiting, she tried the handle. The door was unlocked. Cautiously Bedelia stepped into the entryway and slowly crept down the hall. There was noise coming from the kitchen. She silently reached for the gun she kept in her handbag while stepping through the kitchen doors. She wouldn’t draw it just yet, but it was a small comfort to feel the now familiar weight in her hand as she prepared for whatever strange sight awaited her on the other side of the door.

Of all the things she had pictured finding here, the site of Hannibal Lecter cooking while Will Graham watched from a countertop was the last thing she would have imagined. Neither man seemed to have noticed her entrance and her first thought was to leave before that changed. The closing of the kitchen door, however ruined that plan as the unaccounted for sound made Will turn and lock eyes with the long absent psychiatrist.

“Hello, Mr. Graham,” she said after it became clear that Will wasn’t about to be the first to speak.

“Oh, Doctor Du Maurier,” Will said with a look of surprise that matched her own. “It’s good to see you.”

“And you as well, Mr. Graham,” Bedelia replied. “Although I am more than a bit surprised.”

“As am I by your presence,” Hannibal said as he turned his gaze onto her. “I do not recall asking for your presence here. Nor do I remember opening the front door for you.”

She could sense the danger in the room. Hannibal was upset. Bedelia was not wanted here. “I’m sorry, but it’s been weeks since I last heard from you. I had begun to wonder if something had happened to you. That’s why I walked in when no one answered my knocking. I apologize, it was a rude thing to do.”

“Entering without permission is indeed very rude,” Hannibal replied with a slight narrowing of his eyes. “But it is understandable given your fears.”

Will seemed stuck. Clearly Bedelia had misstepped by intruding on Hannibal’s private little world, but he was unsure of how to help her.

“Would you care to stay for lunch?” Hannibal asked. “I admit that I had only planned for two, but that can be easily remedied.”

“I would hate to intrude on you.”

“Nonsense. You have come all this way and you must have something to eat.”

So, with a slightly strained smile, Bedelia had no choice but to nod and move to stand next to Will while Hannibal went back to cooking.

* * *

After Hannibal had finished preparing their meal, the party moved to the dining room to sit down for lunch. The meal was a strange affair with both Will and Bedelia trying to guess what Hannibal had planned now that an unexpected third party had been introduced into the group. The conversation was polite but stilted as Hannibal would quickly shut down any topic of conversation that would bring up information he would not like to be shared between his guests. The meal itself was a quick one and Hannibal recruited Bedelia to help him remove the plates.

“If I had known that Will Graham would be here, I wouldn’t have come.” Appeasement seemed to be the best strategy until she could get a better sense of what Hannibal was thinking.

“But you are here regardless and I do not know what kind of an effect your visit will have on him.”

“What kind of effect are you hoping to have on Will Graham?”

“I thought you had stepped out of the role of therapist some time ago.”

“You and I both know that isn’t a role so easily shed. It tends to creep back up on us when we’re presented with a challenge.”

That at least got a smile out of the man. “Am I a challenge now?”

“You have always been one.” Bedelia paused and gathered the courage to speak again. “Should I be worried about this?” She didn’t want to spend what could possibly be her last moments dancing around such an important question. It was blunt, but understandable.

“I have no plans to harm you for your actions. As I said before, they were perfectly understandable given your current situation. I will ask that you do not repeat them in the future though.” Some of the weight was lifted off her shoulders at the news and Bedelia breathed a little easier.

“I suppose I’ll take that as my cue to go then.”

“I’ll escort you to the door then.”

Hannibal probably didn’t want to run the risk of Doctor Du Maurier running into Will a second time when he was unable to monitor what they said to one another. Fortunately, Will had chosen to make himself scarce in the hopes of preventing anymore friction between the serial killer and his guests. It was a short walk to the door and soon Bedelia found herself just a few feet away from her car and the road that would take her further from Hannibal Lecter. She was about to say her farewells and depart when he laid a hand on her shoulder.

“I hope you know better than to attempt to use this new information to gain leverage with anyone.” The hand gave a slight squeeze before he released her. “I am very fond of the view here and it would be very unfortunate if this place were compromised in any way.”

“I’m not in any position to use this information, it wouldn’t be the smart thing to do.” She wasn’t about to gamble with forces that may or may not be able to protect her.

“People can often make poor decisions when their head becomes clouded by emotions.”

“Will Graham tends to cloud your emotions, Hannibal. Do you feel compromised?”

“I am in control of myself.”

“He’s a danger to you, to us.”

“I was not aware that there was an us,” Hannibal replied with a hint of a smile in his voice. “You’ve always been very clear on where we start and end.”

“I doubt that the FBI looks too kindly upon my sudden disappearance from their custody right as you fled the country.”

“Why did you come here, Bedelia?” The trace of amusement was gone now.

“I told you. I thought something might have happened to you.”

“Are you disappointed?” Hannibal didn’t give her a chance to answer before continuing. “You know that I’ll find you if you try to run again. The FBI would not be able to hide you forever.”

Bedelia put on her most professional smile as she took in the threat. “Goodbye, Hannibal. Tell Will that I said farewell.”

Bedelia exited the house, got into her car and drove away. She did not plan on returning to the villa anytime soon. Hannibal could stay there with his favorite distraction for as long as he wanted. She wasn’t stupid enough or suicidal enough to try and interfere with his plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First attempt at writing Bedelia, still not sure I got her character right though. My view of her is that she is intrigued by Hannibal but not to the point where that interest would lead to her ending up on the dinner table. She's smart enough to be allowed to poke and prod him, but she doesn't get as much freedom to do so as Will does. She knows that Will is going to be Hannibal's driving force and knows better than to interfere with whatever game they may be playing right now. Her priority first and foremost is to make it through her relationship with Hannibal alive.
> 
> If people have other ideas/critiques/suggestions about how she's written, I'd love to hear them.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is upset and Hannibal wants to know why.

Will grew distant in the days following Dr. Du Maurier’s unexpected appearance. Her presence seemed to have started to rebuild the walls that Hannibal had been carefully dismantling for weeks now. It was exactly the reaction he had feared what outside contact could bring about and he had no idea how to fix it. Increasingly lavish meals catered to Will’s preferences did nothing and their conversations only grew more and more stilted over each meal shared together. Gifts given to Will were met with either indifference or a polite ‘ _thanks_ ’ before being ignored altogether. At this point, Hannibal had taken to trying to please the cat in the hopes that Alessandra’s happiness would rub off on Will.

Attempts to talk about the event also proved unsuccessful. Will had become a master of deflecting questions that he didn’t want to answer and Hannibal was often left with more questions about what Will was thinking at the end of each attempt than he had had going into it. The only option that seemed to be presented to him was to wait and allow Will to share his thoughts when he was ready. Hannibal didn’t like being forced to wait.

* * *

A little over two weeks after the Doctor’s departure, Will was finally ready to speak about his concerns.

“Hannibal, we need to talk,” Will said as he walked into Hannibal’s office while the man was busy sorting through several contact lists.

Hannibal did his best to act casual and pretend that he wasn’t overjoyed by the serious tone in Will’s voice. He gave Will nothing more than a passing glance before turning his gaze back towards the names on the papers. “If this is about the scratching post, I can assure you it is an attempt to save the couches from being worn down over time.”

“It’s not about that or the weird origami statue,” Will replied. “It’s about Dr. Du Maurier’s visit.”

“Oh.” The papers were returned to their original folder while Hannibal focused all his attention on the man talking to him. Will looked visibly upset by what he was about to say; tiny signs of stress were reflected in his body language while long absent bags hung underneath his eyes once again.

He ran a slightly shaky hand through his hair before speaking. “How long can we do this? We don’t exist in some isolated bubble, Hannibal. Sooner or later it’s going to pop.”

“And what do you envision happening then?” Hannibal asked as he crossed his hands.

“I can’t just step aside and let you kill a man because he cut you off in traffic earlier. I refuse to let you hurt innocent people.”

“And I refuse to be placed in a cage.” Hannibal’s voice left no room for debate on the matter.

“I don’t think we were mean for long term companionship,” Will admitted as he lowered his gaze away from Hannibal.

“Perhaps a slight change is all that is needed.”

“But neither of us will!” Will exclaimed. He took a deep breath and went on in a calmer voice. “Look, I genuinely want this to work, but I don’t see this ending in any other way accept with more bloodshed. I don’t want a repeat of that night in your house.”

“That doesn’t seem to be a very optimistic view of us.”

“It’s a realistic one.”

There was a long pause before Hannibal spoke again. “What if a third option were to prevent itself?”

“I don’t see that happening.”

“But if one did?” Hannibal persisted.

“I’d take it,” Will responded after several moments.

“I see.” Hannibal had thought something like this might end up happening. It was one of many different eventualities that he had looked at while planning their reunion. He got up and gathered the folder he had been looking through with a practiced calm. “If you’ll excuse me, there are a few things that I need to attend to.”

Hannibal left the room without another word leaving Will to wonder what the man was planning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal just wants Will to talk about his feelings more.
> 
> So it's always been my plan to try and wrap this up before the new season starts up, which means that the next chapter will be the last one. Hopefully that doesn't seem too soon for anyone, but that was what I aimed for and that is what I shall do.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Hannibal come to an understanding and look towards the future.

A week passed with no development from their conversation. Will had been at the villa with Hannibal for a little over three months now. All the restrictions that had previously been imposed on him, other than being barred from Hannibal’s room, had been lifted. He was welcome to take walks on his own and had access to every sharp object within the kitchen. Will rationalized the reason that he hadn’t tried to leave was because he was still recovering from being abducted, but he knew that wasn’t true. The broken bones and bruised skin had healed long ago and all the weight and muscle that had been lost had been regained. In truth, Will enjoyed it at the villa and he regretted the inevitable breaking of the trust shared between himself and the Ripper when his conscience finally grew too loud to ignore.

It was those thoughts that compelled him to disappear for longer and longer periods of time. Often, Will would just spend most of the day hiding away in the less well traveled parts of the villa with Alessandra as his only company while he mulled over his options. Othertimes he would head out into the countryside for the day to see if Hannibal would eventually grow concerned enough to come looking for him. That hadn’t happened as of yet, and Will’s latest journey seemed to have proved equally ineffective.

Whatever thoughts Will had about Hannibal’s lack of a response were gone the moment he reached the top of the hill their home sat upon and the driveway came into view. There was a new car parked in the driveway. It wasn’t Hannibal’s and he couldn’t imagine that Dr. Du Maurier would have returned after her last visit unless Hannibal had called for her.

A man dressed in a suit exited the villa as Will approached the car. He didn’t stop to talk or do anything other than tip his hat in acknowledgement of Will before throwing his briefcase in the seat next to him and speeding off down the driveway. Will had seen that man before and he hoped he was wrong as he stormed inside to find Hannibal.

“Who was that?” Will asked as soon as he entered the villa. His question came out harsher than Will had intended, but that couldn’t be helped now.

Hannibal didn’t seem phased by the strange greeting and calmly answered while he put away a pair of shot glasses, “Mr. Acerbi. He stopped by to deliver an invitation to his next auction.” Hannibal had actually called the man after his conversation with Will to arrange a more public invitation to the event, but that wasn’t information that Will needed to know.

“Wouldn’t a phone call have sufficed? Or is this auction something that Mr. Acerbi would rather not risk leaking onto the internet?” Will asked as he scowled and crossed his arms.

“A fresh supply of bodies have just arrived and he thought a man of my ‘discerning taste’ might like to go to a private early showing with a few other attendees.” Hannibal ignored the anger practically radiating off of Will as he turned back around and said, “I think we should attend.”

“What?” Will replied as he resisted the urge to take a swing at Hannibal and his placid expression.

“It would be a perfect time to test out your grasp of the Italian language. We could go and talk to the staff and potential buyers. Learn a few names, perhaps even grab a business card or two.”

“You want to go grocery shopping.”

“I would not phrase it in such a way, but yes. If you would rather not attend I could either go alone or decline the invitation.”

“I want them dead,” Will responded in a voice carefully devoid of any sort of emotion. Hannibal was thrilled.

He tried his best to mask the feeling as he responded to Will’s demand. “That is a fairly ambitious goal, Will. They are only a few parts of a vast web. Trying to untangle it would take more than just one man.”

“Than help me.”

“Are you asking me to commit murder?” Hannibal asked.

“Some people don’t deserve to live, Hannibal. If they keep walking around more innocent people are going to have their lives ruined. Not everyone is lucky enough to be rescued by a polite serial killer.”

“If you rush in they will kill you,” Hannibal stated in a practical voice. It would do him no good to have Will killed before a proper hunt had the chance to take place. “One man cannot take down a small army.”

“I’d need to learn how to hunt properly then.”

“This sounds like a very ambitious project. How long do you plan on staying?”

Will didn’t hesitate before saying, “Until everyone responsible for trafficking here is dead and gone.”

“That could take years.”

“It could.”

“You’ll need a place to stay.”

“I will.”

“I have plenty of space available should you want it.”

“You said it could take years; are you sure you won’t get bored with me?”

“That could never happen, my dear Will. I find you far too interesting.” Hannibal assured him as he pushed the traffickers card towards Will as a silent offering. He would be willing to forego his usual hunting habits if it meant that he could share new ones with someone as fascinating as the man standing before him.

Will took the card from Hannibal with a grin. “And I you, Dr. Lecter. When can we start?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my take on the Will/Hannibal dynamic is that if left alone, they will eventually explode regardless of it either party wants that to happen. Introduce a third party like the Verger's/traffickers and they can unite to face them together as a team.
> 
> And we're done!  
> What I've learned is that I really like stories where Will gets taken care of and no one gets stabbed. (Basically the exact opposite of the show.)  
> Thanks so much to everyone who has read this story and especially to those that survived the gigantic gap between chapters during the school semester. Hope I kept you guys entertained!

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm kinda stuck on the title. If anyone has suggestions, drop me a comment or message about it. It may end up being just what I'm looking for.
> 
> This was also written quickly as a way to avoid writing a paper, so if you noticed any glaring flaws or typos, feel free to come bother me on my tumblr (god knows I could use a distraction from school) or in the comment threads below.
> 
> azvee.tumblr.com


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